Global Analysis of BRAFV600E Target Genes in Human Melanocytes Identifies Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 as a Critical Mediator of Melanoma Growth

BRAF kinase has been found to be mutationally activated in up to 70% of benign nevi and melanomas (Davies et al., 2002). It has been implicated as a critical mediator of melanoma development, with the V600E activating mutation representing the most commonly mutated form of BRAF in nevi and melanomas (Pollock et al., 2003). Despite strong evidence implicating BRAF kinase as a bona-fide oncogene in melanoma, its precise downstream targets in melanocytes have not been defined to date, and a BRAF-specific gene signature in melanomas remains uncertain (Hoek et al., 2006).